To be homeless is to be excluded from one of our basic human rights, the right to adequate shelter. Contrary to common stereotypes it is not a personal lifestyle choice, and most homeless people also experience multiple disadvantages including poor physical, emotional and mental health,…
The indefatigable I/S at No Right Turn (who very kindly let's us repost his material here) has started a petition: Withdraw the financial veto certificate against the paid parental leave bill To: Bill English, Minister of Finance We request that you withdraw the financial veto…
One in every 100 New Zealanders is homeless. Te Puea Marae is trying to help. Paula Bennett has leaked personal information before and boasted that she would do it again. Paula Bennett's "office" leaked confidential details potentially embarrassing to the marae, leading to calls for…
In 2008 National introduced the 90 day trial (fire at will) policy. They said it was all about creating jobs: Workplace policy: expanding job opportunities Thursday, 24 July 2008, 9:44 am Press Release: New Zealand National Party John Key MP National Party Leader National's Employment…
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
It’s been a hard week, and many of us could do with some kindness and good news. Let’s take a moment to remember Matariki. What would Standardistas and other politically progressive people like to see for the coming year? Matariki is the Māori name for the…
The Fire at will (90 day trial) law has been a great success! Not at improving life for workers - hell no: NZ unemployment worsens to 5.9 per cent, wages stay low Industries relying on low-skill, low-wage labour Wages going nowhere fast Minimum pay, Living…
Good twitter is an art form. Jared Yates Sexton, an American writer is one of the better exponents of the art. He recently attended a Donald Trump meeting and tweeted the experience. Here they are (H/t politicalscrapbook.net). Read them and be concerned. https://twitter.com/JYSexton/status/742829226399825920 https://twitter.com/JYSexton/status/742830254251741184 https://twitter.com/JYSexton/status/742831162251431937…
We spent a week sleeping in a car once (post Christchurch Feb quake), it's no fun. So I say a very sincere good morning to the "Park up for homes" folks this morning: More than 500 cars park up to support homeless families in south…
In The Herald: British Labour MP Jo Cox dies after being shot three times and repeatedly stabbed A British Labour MP has died after she was shot three times and repeatedly stabbed in a shocking attack as she arrived at her constituency surgery. Mother-of-two Jo…
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standarnistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …
As expected: Parental leave extension vetoed The Government has vetoed a Labour Party bill which would have extended paid parental leave from 18 weeks to 26 weeks. Finance Minister Bill English confirmed this afternoon that he had exercised the financial veto - the first time…
The government that will pay you $5000 to leave Auckland and $3000 to move to Auckland has been selling state houses so recklessly that it is now considering building temporary ones - 'Pop-up' housing being considered to help ease Auckland shortage Temporary, pre-built houses could…
National's increase in the refugee quota is pathetic: In other words, this is a triumph of spin: an ‘increase’ in the refugee intake that is virtually the same as the status quo, but counted differently. It has already been described by Amnesty International as "shameful…
I hate to repeat myself, but the dodgy Niue deal is back in the headlines again. Bryan Gould in April – Niue contract damaging to Govt reputation And then, we have the saga of the political donation and the Matavai resort on Niue. The facts…
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standarnistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …
The Brexit (British Exit from the EU) process is fascinating. Background information from the BBC is here, and The Economist here. The vote is a week away (23 June). Several recent polls are giving the Leave campaign a big lead - see today's Guardian: EU…
Suddenly I found myself on the front lines of a climate crisis that had arrived 100 years earlier than expected. For a long time I’d seen climate change only as an environmental issue because environmentalists were always framing it in terms of birds, bears, and…
Graphic courtesy of the outstandingly good Kupu Hou twitter account. So in the space of a week or so Paula Bennett has gone from potentially being the next leader of the National Party to the person who has leapfrogged Nick Smith on the list of Ministers…
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Te Puea Marae is doing all that the government should be, but isn't. The government are even forced to offer them help. Paula Bennett does her best not to visit, to meet them away from media, as it's too embarrassing, this show of community action…
Owen Jones, the best left journalist of this decade, has walked out of a TV chat show after the host and a guest denied the Orlando killings were homophobic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmMXxx-EWcY He has written a fantastic article about exactly what this attitude means. It…
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standarnistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …
Up to her old tricks again? https://twitter.com/NewshubPolitics/status/742543634554224641 https://twitter.com/MaikiSherman/status/742540042753605632 https://twitter.com/TrevorMallard/status/742549154350518272 https://twitter.com/DavidSlack/status/742540866535882753 https://twitter.com/lyndonhood/status/742545697564565504 https://twitter.com/NewshubPolitics/status/742559021849153538 https://twitter.com/norightturnnz/status/742561160864497664 Update: Bennett has admitted that "her office" leaked. She should resign. https://twitter.com/NewshubPolitics/status/742572664280076288 https://twitter.com/ClintVSmith/status/742571550822408192 https://twitter.com/norightturnnz/status/742570513025753088 https://twitter.com/norightturnnz/status/742569984946147328